I Drive The New Audi Q8 e-tron For The First Time To See If We Should Upgrade Ours!

Kyle is in the Napa area driving the new 2024 Audi Q8 Sportback e-tron. In this video he takes you on a tour of the updates, drives the car for the first time, and shares his impressions of the improvements for the new model year.
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0:00 - Hello & Welcome!
1:04 - Full Tour / Updates / Specs
14:25 - Initial Drive
23:33 - Performance Driving
29:16 - Gentle Cruising
38:11 - Running Low On Charge
45:15 - Final Thoughts
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#audi #etron #ev

[@joshuatrexler9431]

Much better review than TFLEV! Even though they beat out of spec by releasing it 4 hours earlier lol. This is the review I was waiting for. Love all the nerdy bits.

[@samuelweiner5382]

Kyle your enthusiasm is a joy to behold,

[@KyleConner]

KZbin should finish 360p processing soon!

[@L1pslide]

mmmm

[@nickbien]

we're here too early!

[@Kay_Emm_]

Production quality is good enough I don't mind :)

[@CharlieLiuPhotography]

Hahah I was like - yo why does my phone screen look so blurry today?

[@CarbonG3]

I thought my internet was dying for a second!

[@symawd]

This car is so hard to explain to people. It's really not competitive at all on paper, but it is the EV I would choose every time (price not considered). Nothing else is really getting close to the feeling you get in it (sense of luxury, solidness, etc.)

[@nickbien]

It actually undercuts the EQE suv and IX in terms of price. Q8 e tron also comes standard with more features such as the lane keep/adaptive cruise assist drivers assistance stuff. (Yes IX and EQE prob have better ADAS in upgraded form, but at least the q8 comes standard with lane keep/acc.)

[@KyleConner]

Totally agree - one of those cars you have to drive to appreciate - and not like a quick test drive, live with it for a weekend. Nothing comes close for a well rounded package.

[@wsu8568]

Like justifying a fat ugly girlfriend that costs more. Hey there feels good

[@Abito1075]

@@KyleConner I couldn’t agree more. While I have a Model S, I reach for it most days. It’s a solid car, luxury is amazing! I have the top trim ‘20 Edition 1. Leased is up this Sept, I’ve decided to keep it. It’s an amazing vehicle!

[@BillB33525]

Great review Kyle; Picked up my Q8 last week, the additional range is almost intoxicating after 40K miles in the OG-etron, having to be somewhat careful with the range.

[@Quellness223]

Is the ride more stiffer for you ? Since they change the setup to be more firm do u feel a big difference?

[@evkx]

Just remember you have an e-tron with adaptive air suspension. This has adaptive air suspension sport (s-line) So some of the differences is not about Q8 but about S-line vs non s-line

[@jakemaster5083]

I love your channel and love this review. Last month I traded my 22 Q7 in for an Edition One E-Tron and couldn’t be happier. I live in western NC and drive into Charlotte for work. When I baby her I average 240-250 miles. And the night vision has saved at least two deer and a handful of opossums.

[@raymondortiz827]

Wow this been the best video you’ve done by far👏great job testing the e-tron Q8

[@patrickklein2765]

Great review! As a prior 2019 e-tron Prestige driver it was good to get your true hands-on comparison and discussion about the real differences. Audi has certainly done it again with the 2024 Q8 e-tron! Appreciate your review and videos. Thanks.

[@WayApp]

Thanks for sharing your insightful review!

[@alohadave13]

Excellent review and amazing detail in all of the little aspects of this EV. Kudos to you Kyle. Thanks

[@bavariancarenthusiast2722]

Chris, you made my mouth water today.....well I will put this one on my list for next car this year with the iXI would not have regard it without your review.

[@steveyoung8376]

Kyle i also have an etron 55 and have had many EV since 2007. The etron has grown on me and love the charging speed. i thought in future maybe do a battery upgrade in a few years to the old etron 55.

[@DouglasJMark]

Interesting drive Kyle thanks! Wait, did I hear you say "...our outgoing eTron"? 😆

[@viper5ko]

Poor Anna. bought a porsche taycan and dumped in a week!

[@courtneyvegan9448]

​@@viper5kolol, thinking the same thing.

[@thumper1747]

Watched the back to back video before this one and loved both. Kyle is one of the best reviewers out there and both entertaining and informative, but so too are the majority of the comments!

[@christinecamley]

I adore my SUV! This is a lovely model too! Thanks for the review! Napa is a gorgeous place to try out this vehicle!

[@luis.antunes.imobiliario]

I’ve ordered this model in Portugal. I’m still waiting, but seems a fantastic car! Very good video!

[@dwftube]

A bit off topic, but I've never seen California so green.😍

[@tekmantoo]

Yes, we had 31 atmospheric rivers this year. That helped.

[@penneya3911]

Greenest spring ever, driving from NorCal to socal and back last month was a treat! It did come at a price with all the downed trees.

[@michaelnicodemus9109]

Just got a 2024 Q8 e-tron regular SUV the other day and I love it. I have put about 400 miles on it and have not noticed any porpoising (?). I learned a lot from this video. Anyone know if the brake lights come on when I use the regen paddles? Not very clear from about 22:10... In efficiency mode, it almost comes to a stop with full regen without touching the brakes. Trying not to get rear ended.

[@grantlouw3182]

Is the flat Audi badge in the grill because there are sensors in there? Looks almost like it has the radar inside it.

[@daviddreyfuss2453]

Great review Kyle. In the 2nd half of 2023, 300 is the new 200. Will this contrive like Moore's Law?

[@Th3Ch0s3n1]

I currently have a 22 Etron S. Debating on upgrading to refresh for larger battery. Hopefully they send you the SQ8 Etron to try to help me decide

[@omelvold]

Great video! As others have pointed out, this car has the S-line exterior which to tighten things up and actually lowers it a little bit. And there’s the wheels.. (Regarding looks, check out the Plasma Blue Metallic SUV with blacked out grill that TFL drove. 👌 Completely different car..) BTW: I have a 2019 with 20 inch wheels, great cruiser! 🤩 Run it with a roof box (Mont Blanc Xplore + Packline) and Conti7 studless tires half the year. I believe those wheels improve efficiency quite a bit as well, being “only” 255 mm wide.. (I use same dimensions summer/winter. Conti SportContact 6 on summer. Since you wanna know..) Keep it up!! 👍 Can’t wait for the head to head test!

[@jasss6813]

Hows reliability been, have you had a coolant leak resulting in motor replacement?

[@omelvold]

@@jasss6813 No major issues so far. Changed charge port door once, and the rear LED strip twice.. That’s about it. Pushing 100k km. now, and the battery degradation is barely measurable. Of course, who knows what might happen in the next 100k km. 🤷‍♂️ It’s out of warranty next year.. Like all e-tron quattros, it makes this slight howling sound at low speeds, which kind of makes you wonder what goes on in there. 😂

[@edmorris8770]

Hi Kyle, I watch all your videos and enjoy them. I have a question that the dealer can't seem to answer. We just purchased a new 2024 Audi Q8 E-Tron SUV premium plus and we would like to use our iphones to unlock the doors, start and operate and drive the car without using the key fob, is this possible? We also have a 2020 Tesla M3 and of course that works, and I see videos about doing that with BMW's, Kia's and even Hyundai, Ford and other electric vehicles. So I figured if anyone would know it would be you. 🙂

[@lyfandeth]

The big wheels come with five year pothole and curb rash damage insurance?

[@MichaelKirven]

"I bet 10 people named Claus worked on the door handle alone" is the most apt description of Audi interior design.

[@davidegai7264]

It’s Klaus with a K….

[@jshdodokiller]

I love the styling on this

[@descentplayer]

Kyle, NHTSA issued updated regulations for matrix headlamps in March of 2022. The matrix lamps are available in the US version on their website. I suspect that Audi had not finished tuning their software and completing the tests for FMVSS 108 for the matrix lamps on your test vehicle.

[@evkx]

I have Nightvision on my e-tron. Currently my better half denies me this upgrade because it misses the night vision. Night Vision is amazing

[@bavariancarenthusiast2722]

Did the efficiency stayed the same? I mean not very efficient or did they improve it?

[@edischaber1859]

Great video, great car !

[@JenxTech]

We have the night vision on our Edition One, I do use it a night it's pretty handy esp when on dark country roads. Shame they aren't keeping that.

[@alexanderolaisen3930]

The three-spoke steering wheel isn't new for the Q8, but has been available for years in the pre-facelift e-tron as an optional extra, at least in Europe. You can still get the four-spoke steering wheel in lower trims.

[@dibbik116]

Enjoyed the video! Incase no one has said it, as far as the audio, subwoofers do need a break in period and will become deeper after a bit of time. After a break in period, might be as deep as your etron

[@rwjr1944]

Great video. Would like to see how it does on the Hogback.

[@stockpicksbytim1228]

Great video and in my hometown too!

[@leonardherron5378]

My question is, did they add plug and charge?

[@georgepelton5645]

Kyle, When comparing suspension comfort between vehicles it would be helpful to know if they are using the same tire size. Perhaps the new Q8 e-tron would ride better if a different tire with higher aspect ratio was chosen.

[@MMM18092]

I just returned my leased E-tron 55 and bought a Q8 50. The differences are tiny, wouldn't bother upgrading unless one is desperate for longer range or is worried about warranty expiring.

[@car_photographic]

We had two Etrons and im looking forward to drive the new Q8s

[@petehelme7714]

waiting (impatiently) for next year's A6 Avant e-tron.

[@JimOutLoud]

I watch a lot of out of spec videos… This was one of the most informative and most fun! I may be biased because I want this car… Kyle, I think you just spent my bonus for me. Great content as always!

[@edwardyoussef]

I've got night vision in mine it's fun

[@edwardyoussef]

How hard would it be for audi to do a battery swap with the larger pack and keep thr old vehicle? Obviously they wouldn't do it because they need it for new cars and to sell new cars but would live ti see a place pop uo some day like Gruber Motors here in Arizona do audi battery service like ghey do for Tesla

[@GlitterGuru]

That model etching is snatched from Polestar

[@bradhewitt3183]

We decided to lease the 2024 Q8 e-tron Launch Edition. Wife and I love this vehicle. Our first EV. We know not the best range EV but the ride quality is amazing. Located in Carlsbad, CA. Waiting for you comparison review. Ours is avail if need.

[@Trades46]

Having a Q4 50 e-tron Prestige, this car really is a dream material. Yes on paper this isn't as good as the Model X, iX or EQE SUV, but Audi has been at this luxury EV SUV awhile and the details are what sells it (and what originally sold me on the Q4 e-tron).

[@Jbiglin]

A thoroughly enjoyable video Kyle, thank you!! I’ve always loved the Q8 (eTron or ICE) and my only concern has been range and charging network issues. The range is improved in the ‘24 version, and the network should be improving in the U.S. over the next couple years. I just need to get ready for that big price tag, but I’m sold!

[@dcmackintosh]

Should be is right! My town now has 20+ Supercharger stalls and 4 EA stalls, 3 of which are normally working.

[@MrAlfable]

I wonder if that rear body movement is responsible for the "body boom" noise a lot of e-tron owners complain about, the porpoise motion might be the tradeoff for eliminating that? As to the sound system, it could just be that the speakers haven't had a chance to "burn in" compared to the 2019 that you purchased used.

[@neverleftthe80s29]

Beautiful design and superbly finished.

[@bmw803]

Definitely, but 90% of the Average American will not be able to afford this thing.

[@r5LgxTbQ]

you gonna be making a video at the Volvo EX30 launch?

[@bokehbeauty]

Great that you share your findings with all your knowledge of the previous version. I’m eager for your coming series on the etron in beautiful Colorado. My wife loves the etron as your wife does. Trips are so relaxing, more than with any luxury car before. Greetings from the Alps in southern Bavaria.

[@realev21]

Oh wow. Nice review. So much better than some others out there. I am dying to hear the charging curve dissected and really compared to the original "fat" e-tron. Interesting information about the suspension tuning tweaks. Great review.

[@lisasmith9757]

As someone who was able to lease the etron premium plus for $550 a month with nothing down when Audi couldn’t sell these in 2020 and 2021, I couldn’t imagine paying full price for a Q8 etron. Great car, but not for the price.

[@Tiki14197]

What about a comparison with the Lucid?

[@edmorris8770]

Kyle, I forgot to say we have the Audi connect app all installed, but can't seem to get the "smartphone key thing" like the Tesla has to work and surprisingly like I said in my last comment, the dealer doesn't seem to know either...

[@iusum]

27:14 Kyle, did you brush the car with the side grass?

[@dcmackintosh]

I'm glad to hear the steering is improved, that may be my biggest complaint with our '22 e-tron Premium SUV on '20" OE tires. I have driven it several hundred miles on snow with 19" studless snow tires, it's extremely well balanced when drifting. When you compare with yours will you run the same size tires? We had a loaded "19 Cayenne e-Hybrid that had a far nicer interior and the Burmester sound was the best I've heard, although I wouldn't have paid $7k for that option. Moist likely we'll keep our current e-tron at least until we see what the Cayenne EV looks like. Thanks for the review!

[@Pimptobizmal]

They made it after the taycan. Perfect car

[@paulschilling6756]

Heat pump?

[@lyfandeth]

Is the ESC stability control in full nanny mode? Make a tight fast U turn from standing stop, and nanny REALLY screw you up by messing with the rate and speed of turn. Sometimes it is brilliant at keeping you upright, sometimes it is simply a German Tyrant.

[@commanderroddi7742]

Is it crazy EV9 (much boxier looking car) has 0.28 drag co eficient? I like how he knows Kyle normal is not everyone's normal :) Love your videos!

[@bhmbill]

Is the rear a hatch or trunk?

[@pawelzieminski6717]

I wonder how the range would look like with smaller, lighter wheels

[@scotduckrow8524]

But will a new Audi come with the Blue Tooth etching on the dash?

[@KPApothecary]

This looks just like my 2023 etron Chronos, Even the same interior colors.

[@commanderroddi7742]

Looking at teh 2024 q8 S-Line (formerly etron sportback?) and see if it is worth it. I almost got the etron sportback, but I wasn't able to find one at a descent price, and ended up with a Hyundai Ioniq 5 which I really Like. I'm looking at the new q8 etron S-Line now (knowwing the Kia EV9 is the smart choice, but....) and frankly, I like this car a lot!

[@edwardyoussef]

You can put charging in the short cuts menu above the climate control. It takes you directly to state of charge.

[@blubaru09]

I thought you were going to have to find an ice machine with that low SOC!

[@JousefM]

Are the side mirror cams not allowed in the US?

[@lowfuel6089]

Correct, at least for now.

[@joedifrancesco1572]

The Lyriq also has a high powered onboard charger. Seems like it might be a better value than the Q8

[@rmkep]

Hey Kyle, here in Northern California we don't call Highway 1 the PCH. Thats, exclusive to those bougie So Cal people but, as An e-tron owner you roll bougie too ...

[@eganfo]

Holy smokes, it felt like you were driving super fast in this video.

[@lyfandeth]

S model should have tuneable steering and shock response, better seat "hug" and comfort, possibly better lighting and more acceleration. All S version norms. And probably track tires that should be pulled off on delivery in favor or 4 season rain tires.

[@Annette_Hons]

How does this compare to the Mercedes EQS or EQE

[@l0b0m0]

How identical is the software? I bet Alyssa is dying to know if this new version still "NEEDS" oil changes, lol

[@jamesdingle3486]

My wife prefered the look of the Sportback. In the classic E-tron the Dynamic mode isn't as stiff as you would expect so it's good to hear it's a little stiffer in the Q8. I had too tested plenty of EVs and Audi was a clear notch above everything else except maybe for the E-tron GT (which I regret we didn't buy), Taycan and Lucid.

[@lyfandeth]

Are you saying it can charge from ports at once? That would be rad! Capped at 160kw max?

[@claessjostrom565]

No only one at a time.

[@williamlabarre4755]

Oh yeah, iX... that schnozz! eTron SUV please.

[@clawclaw7570]

My Etron sportback has covered 15,000 kilometers so far, and it is very reliable in all aspects. Compared with my other car A6 allroad, the Etron makes slightly awkward turns and U-turns, and has a more pronounced nod when braking. I think it has something to do with the weight of the car. It's still my favourite car to drive though, it's smoother than the A6 allroad.

[@doggyppants9846]

The interior room of the Q4 e-tron and Q8 e-tron were surprisingly similar. Makes me like the Q4 more for city life. Plus the Q4's EPA rated faster charging at 29 mi/hr than the Q8's 18 mi/hr.

[@logicpro8382]

Q4 e-tron and Q8 e-tron were surprisingly similar.... they are is different worlds from each other man. I had Q4 e-Tron for a loaner car while I bought a 2020 e-Tron 55 Launch Edition and it was being, I can honestly say the Q4 is cheap inside and the larger SUV e-Tron is much much better. I had the EV6 before this e-Tron and thats even cheap in comparrison to the fully loaded e-Tron SUV.

[@HTHAMMACK1]

There is a reason to go with the coupe, if you like that design better.

[@LarryNgetich]

Can you use both chargers at the same time?

[@omelvold]

Yes and no, it ut utilizes both onboard chargers no matter which side you plug in, so you’ll get 22 kW AC (at least in Europe). Note, this is not standard. Interestingly, I’ve been told that the dual ports and the dual chargers are two separate options. Meaning, you can have two ports with only 11kW charging. It doesn’t make sense, I know.. Personally I think 11 kW is more than enough. But the practicality and the redundancy of having two ports (let’s face it, these motorized ports does fail from time to time) might keep you from getting stranded.

[@robertninic5555]

The Sportback will give you more range - that's a good reason for selecting it over the SUV. SUV has more trunk space, though.

[@TechnicalLee]

I'm disappointed it's still not that efficient, really hoping for a 300 mi spec.

[@MYJ61]

I’d wager the front logo is the way it is because it’s illuminated.

[@lowfuel6089]

Thinking about other cars in this category, I realized everyone (including me) seems to have forgotten the Jaguar I-pace . When it came out it had a ton of buzz, but I haven't seen it even mentioned in a while. Might be cool if you did a revisit of it and tested the current incarnation to see how it holds up to the competition!

[@ianpalin8318]

Great review as always, shame greedy KZbin ruins it with so many adverts 😢

[@omelvold]

KZbin Premium is worth every Penny..

[@Johan87577]

Adblock or premium is way to go

[@chrischarles6747]

The Germans make a proper stellar ev. Love ur channel!!! Do you have the MB EQE SUV on your calandar?

[@t1328]

Great review Kyle. I got a low mileage ‘19 e-tron Prestige last November to replace a ‘20 Tesla Model Y that was plagued with severe phantom braking, and then a Hyundai Ioniq 5. Have so far driven 8k miles on the e-tron, and it’s by far my favorite. Insanely solid, comfortable and luxurious. Recently was invited to a BMW event and drove the iX M50. While that is quicker, I prefer the e-tron’s steering feel and comfort. Plus it’s much easier to use than the iX’ massive screen with a seemingly never ending menu of options on the screen. I’ve been fine with the range because I don’t go on many long trips. I highly recommend it, especially if you can find a low mileage, 2nd hand unit in good condition with Prestige trim. It’s pricing then becomes a bargain for what you get (around $58k). I can’t afford a new Q8 e-tron Prestige, but I don’t feel like I’m losing out on much based on this review.

[@doomsday9973]

The older e trons are nice but the range is just lousy

[@jasss6813]

Need to decide on a 19 Etron Prestige in Cantunyla Red that a dealership will sell me for $38k, ONLY 28K on dash, clean title. Good service history. Could you tell me about any issues to be aware of, I've done a good amount of reading on various Audi forums but obviously want an owners perspective. Please give as much detail as possible, thanks!

[@t1328]

@@jasss6813 sorry I didn’t notice this earlier. I haven’t had any issues yet, and am now at 20k miles. Some folks on an e-Tron group I’m part of have mentioned needing a sunroof fixed (there is a tab for it) to prevent leaking water. Others have had other less common issues. But overall, these appear about mid to highly reliable.

[@mini2nut67]

Just picked up super low mile Q8 Premium for under $60k. The ride, fit and finish and interior quality blows away our previous 21 Model Y.

[@cjabe756]

Hey Kyle, nice review. But my hope is this great EV tech finds its way into the Porsche side of things. I am waiting for the Porsche Cayenne Coupe to be fully electric. Porsche should do that now. Missed opportunity. I have a reservation for the all electric Macan, hopefully the tech is just based on this EV platform.

[@MrAlfable]

Porsche EVs have been ahead of Audi's from out of the gate, more power, better charging, 800v architecture, Porsche has even managed over the air updates and plug and charge, something Audi and the rest of the VAG family seem to still be struggling with for whatever reason. The EV platform used on the Q8 is essentially a refined ICE platform, vs the one Porsche uses which is a specific EV platform (interestingly its a platform that was co-developed with Audi, but Audi has yet to use it on anything but the etron GT), I'd be hoping for Porsche to keep on their own path rather than stepping backwards into what Audi is doing.

[@ehudk215]

You never seem to talk about the Tesla's sound system, i konw its not branded but I feel both the system in my M3P and my X Plaid sound amazing, and most including people like bjorn agree. Your thoughts?

[@ONI1013.]

So we have the 2022 Etron. Isn’t this car bigger (i.e., same size as the Q8)?

[@richardh3587]

The etron was always really a q8 underneath - this update doesn’t change anything about the body

[@ONI1013.]

@@richardh3587 The regular Q8 has always been bigger than the Etron. Q8 Dimension: Length: 196.6 inches, Width: 78.5 inches, Height: 67.2 inches. Etron Dimension: Length: 193 inches, Width: 76 inches, Height: 65-66. inches.

[@dtallornothing]

Noticed the 2nd charge port doesn't have the level 3 plugs at the bottom

[@claessjostrom565]

It’s the same as the old one.

[@georgepelton5645]

PM motors are more torque dense (Nm/m^3 motor size) as Kyle states, but induction motors can produce full torque at zero rpm. PM motors cannot use all three stator windings at zero rpm, which limits their torque until about 5-10 rpm. I am surprised that Audi doesn’t use PM for one of the two motors, as the added efficiency helps many aspects of an EV. Not just electric costs and range, but also increases charging speed and can enable less expensive, lighter, batteries.

[@JWellingtonMoreno]

What happened to the Q8 SUV review?

[@AaronAverett]

Wait, what? You have to go into a menu to see the state of charge? Like a P-51, where you have to look under the seat to see how much fuel is in the tanks?

[@lh2338]

No, there's a button for the charging menu. SOC is the first thing you see. I have 2022.

[@darinbrazil5496]

@Kyle Conner Possibly a side by side comparison of the e-tron Q8 and the Rivian R1S could be a good idea. These will definitely be cross shopped vehicles.

[@fpartidafpartida]

I own the original eTron and the R1S. These are not even close to each other. Anyone cross-shopping these 2 doesn’t really have a handle on their use case.

[@darinbrazil5496]

@@fpartidafpartida Wow, ok the fact that you own both proves my point and since when does having a handle on the use case matter people use trucks as cars in America.

[@testi2025]

US versions are so soft compared to EU versions. I was in CT a couple of weeks ago and had a X5 40 as a rental. It’s so much softer than the same car in Europe. Granted that US roads are wide and has big bumps and cracks, so I get it why they do it.

[@mikebroom1866]

Skipped TFL reviews to wait for this. Much better.